After spending some time in early access, SimpliSafe's Energetic Guard Out of doors Safety feature is now available to the public. Using artificial intelligence technology along with its team of security experts, Energetic Guard Out of doors Safety is designed to detect and stop crime before it happens. It's available on the new Outdoor Security Camera Series 2, although you'll need to sign up for a monthly membership to get the most out of the service.
SimpliSafe is not new to the world of AI-based crime prevention, as you will already find a similar feature in the Sensible Alarm wireless indoor camera. That functionality is excellent, but if an indoor camera detects intruders, it means they have already entered your home. The Series 2 Outdoor Security Camera and Energetic Guard Out of doors Safety seek to address this issue, as the system can react to threats and alert SimpliSafe agents within 30 seconds of detecting a motion event.
When your system is armed, the camera will use AI to detect human movement on your property. If it detects a person, it will use a face matching system to determine if the person matches a familiar face in its system (that is, someone like a familiar or a trusted neighbor).
If no match is detected, the event will be escalated to a professional monitoring service, where a trained security officer can intervene with two-way audio. They can also activate the camera's built-in alarm or request assistance from local authorities.
All in all, it seems like a pretty solid system that should give users added peace of mind. However, it has a fairly high price.
The Series 2 Outdoor Security Camera costs $200. You will also need to sign up for one of two tracking plans. SimpliSafe's Professional plan costs $50 per month and gives you basic indoor protection, 24/7 professional monitoring, and overnight outdoor protection (between 8 pm and 6 am local time). The Professional Plus Plan costs $70 and extends your outdoor protection to 24/7 coverage.
It's a little pricey, but it's in line with other brands that offer professional monitoring.
The Series 2 Outdoor Security Camera also looks like a great piece of hardware, as it's equipped with enhanced night vision, HD video, a 140-degree field of view, and a built-in 90 dB siren. SimpliSafe says the camera can capture details up to 15 feet away, regardless of lighting conditions. Most importantly, it uses the exclusive Energetic Guard Out of doors Safety feature to identify and stop crimes before they happen.